Aedan Kearney stalked along the gritty sidewalk on Longwood Avenue, his head down. It was late, and he wanted to be home, in bed. Preferably with some woman. But if not with a woman, at least asleep.

The day had been a long one and his body and head were exhausted. But he was restless and keyed up as well, looking for some kind of quick release. A bad combination; it made him edgy and uncomfortable in his own skin. He knew if he wanted, he could find something on this street that would take the edge off, make him relax. That was one of the great things about New York: pretty much anything you wanted, someone was selling, or offering.

Except that was a line he wasn’t willing to cross, for many reasons.

One of those reasons was the person responsible for his current mental and physical exhaustion. Other reasons lived within his past, people and events he’d tried hard to forget but never quite managed to put entirely behind him. Maybe that was the curse of not falling victim to the same lifestyle they had; he wasn’t going to repeat it, but he was powerless to forget.

Frank, his trainer at the gym, had put him through his paces, working Aedan harder than he usually did. Pushing him, yelling at him when he let up, when he tried to cut corners, when he asked for a break. It pissed him off when Frank wouldn’t stop.

But as angry as it made him—that anger served a purpose. It fueled him, kept him going. His trainer was the only person who could get away with making Aedan angry and not suffer for it. Frank was the only person Aedan respected enough to let him pull that kind of thing.

Frank’s the only one who understands...

Even with that, there were still things about Aedan even Frank didn’t know, that Aedan hadn’t trusted him with. Stuff that was no one’s business. Things that were just too painful to bring to the forefront. Aedan scoffed. The old guy probably already knew anyway. Most of the kids who went through his gym were running from the same past.

Still, Aedan wasn’t interested in opening up about the shit that haunted him, even with his most trusted friend.

As he walked along, he thought about the upcoming fight. It was still a couple of months down the road—an eternity since he couldn’t wait for the match-up. There were scouts, Frank said, who’d be there, guys who could take him on to bigger matches, gigs with payouts, and a chance to fight professionally, get him out of the amateur, underground scene.

No guarantees, but just maybe, if he worked hard enough...

The rest was left unsaid.

His head came up suddenly, his senses on high alert. He heard something ahead, sounds of a confrontation. Fights in the Bronx were a dime a dozen, especially now that it was warm, and he’d certainly been in enough of them to recognize the sound of one. He heard a woman’s cry, maybe more than one, high-pitched and scared. Men’s voices raised in aggression. Probably just a pimp and his girl.

Except it wasn’t a pimp.

As he made his way around the corner, his eyes swept over the scene. A small knot of people stood in the street. Three well-dressed young women and two rugged punks—one tall, dark-haired, skinny guy and a shorter, heavier one with lighter hair. Aedan didn’t recognize any of them and he knew most of the pimps, hookers and street rats in this neighborhood. Hell, he was one of them.

But these guys weren’t part of the neighborhood, and his exhaustion was instantly gone in a rush of fiery adrenaline. Because they were sure as hell interested in the women. Women who definitely weren’t hookers. They were far too well dressed and looked far too afraid to be working the streets, especially this street. Something told him if the men got their way, it wouldn’t end well for those three.

Aedan didn’t care whether they were after money or something else, he simply followed on instinct—the instinct that told him to dive in with his fists first and ask questions later. He moved in quietly, lightly, a slight bounce to his step, gaze tracking their motions as he approached.

It happened so quickly that no one in the circle even saw it coming.

The skinny guy received a blow to his mid-section that doubled him over, gasping for breath. He fell to his knees before tumbling hard to his side, like a demolished building. Aedan stepped around him, eyes already on Blondie.

Aedan had lost the element of surprise and Blondie turned on him, ready to fight. What Aedan had thought in the dim light was just a pudgy gut and nothing to worry about turned out to be a wall of muscle. Blondie charged, growling like a wild animal.

Aedan held his ground. Relaxed and loose, he watched the guy come at him. His eyes never left the flushed face, the teeth bared in a growl of rage. With the ease of years spent on the street and in the gym, Aedan swiftly sidestepped Blondie’s charge, bringing his closed fist down against the side of the guy’s neck.

Blondie coughed once, then vomited a thick stream of what appeared to be tomato sauce. His momentum carried him forward, and most of the vomit spilled down his shirt and over his pants, spattering on the pavement. He stumbled to a halt, hands on his knees, still gagging and retching, shaking his head in confusion, struggling to breathe.

Skinny had finally managed to suck in a lungful of air and was hauling himself to his feet. He lumbered forward, taking a roundhouse swing at Aedan’s head, which Aedan easily ducked beneath. Aedan took one step forward, pivoted and brought his foot up, kicking Skinny in the back, low. Then he swung around and caught him in the jaw. Aedan heard the click of Skinny’s teeth coming together and knew the guy had probably bitten his tongue.

Skinny did a repeat of his earlier performance, dropping to the ground with a thud. He didn’t get up this time, but lay there moaning. Aedan could hear Blondie coughing behind him, and he turned, watching the big man as he wiped his mouth on his sleeve.

Aedan stayed loose and relaxed, fists held ready, waiting for either of them to make the next move.

But Blondie staggered over to Skinny, pulling him to his feet with his eyes fixed warily on Aedan. A trickle of blood ran down Skinny’s chin. They silently backed away. When Aedan raised his fists and feinted forward, faking another attack, they spun quickly, breaking into a shambling run. They turned at the corner and dashed out of sight.

Aedan watched a moment longer, his body slowly relaxing, before turning back to where the girls were huddled together on the sidewalk.

“You okay?” He took a step forward, both hands palm out to show that he had no intention of hurting them.

One girl took a step backward, tugging on her friend’s arm. “No...no, we’re fine. Um...thanks.”

Her friend nodded nervously.

The third held her ground, looking him directly in the eyes.

A moment of confusion shot through him. Not many people, much less women unless they were professionals, held his gaze. They said his eyes were cold, intimidating. It was something he used to his advantage with his opponents.

But apparently not this girl.

The girl had the greenest eyes he’d ever seen, and he’d stared into many green eyes in his life. But there was something else there, a fire he’d never seen before. It caught him off guard.

It also made him wary. Cautious. Why was this girl making him so curious? Step back, man. This is not a good combination.

“You shouldn’t be here.” He looked over their expensive clothes. Short skirts, nicely cut hair, and perfectly manicured nails. He shook his head. Spoiled rich girls slumming for the night. “You’re lost, aren’t you?” He didn’t bother to hide the annoyance in his voice.

“As a matter of fact, yes. We are.” The second girl spoke, her tone aggressive but her voice unable to hide a shake. False bravado now that the real danger was past.

The blonde—the girl who had looked him in the eye—took a step toward him. She seemed tipsy maybe, a bit wobbly on her feet, but she held out her hand. “I’m Rosa Thomas.”

Her voice was surprisingly low, a contrast with her delicate features and light hair. He’d expected a much different sound, lighter and more girly. But he had to admit he liked the smoky depth of it. Very much. Aedan looked down at her extended hand. He took it slowly, shaking it, her delicate fingers brushing against his palm. But he didn’t let go. He held her hand for a moment, looking into her pretty green eyes again. His wariness disappeared as curiosity took over.

He decided right then that he’d be waking up with her tomorrow in his bed. Or him in hers. It didn’t matter. “Aedan... Aedan Kearney.”

She gently pulled her hand from his. But her eyes still lingered on his face. For a moment it was just the two of them. Aedan had the distinct and unsettling sense of losing himself in her eyes. Get a grip, man. She’s just a chick.

There was a noise behind Rosa. She startled, looking over her shoulder like she had forgotten anyone was with her. “Oh, yeah. And these are my friends, Laura and Sophia.”

Aedan barely nodded at them, not registering the little wave one gave him. “Where you headed?” His question was directed at Rosa.

“We were going to a club with friends. They told us about a place out here, somewhere they wanted to take us. They took one cab and we got in a second one.” Rosa giggled and Aedan had the urge to try and make her laugh again. “Either we got the address wrong, or they didn’t give us the right one.” She shrugged.

“We had to practically drag Rosa out tonight,” Sophia said, taking a few steps toward Aedan and standing beside Rosa.

Rosa looked down, her face hidden by a curtain of silky hair. She waved a dismissive hand at the girl. “They’re determined. Wouldn’t give up. Thought I needed to get out, have some fun. Live.”

With a sudden toss of her head, she looked up at him, a rueful smile on her face. “And here we are, out having fun. We’re lost. We were attacked, almost robbed.” Her smile deepened, her voice dropping. “And then rescued.” She cocked her head. “But I suspect you’re no knight in shining armor.”

Aedan noticed she had dimples. He wasn’t sure he’d ever met a girl with dimples. She seemed somehow old-fashioned and incredibly sexy, all at the same time.

Rosa was still smiling at him, her green eyes on his. “Thank you for coming to our rescue, Aedan Kearney.”

He liked the sound of his name on her lips. “This isn’t a safe place to be, even in the daytime. Let alone after dark. Especially not wearing Upper East Side clothes. The only club on Longwood is on the other side of the Expressway. It’s not exactly a dance club though.” He cocked his head to the side and let his gaze travel down her smooth legs and then back up again. She definitely had the body. “Unless you’re a stripper.”

The bravado girl, still hanging back from the rest of them, sputtered out an offended sound, but Rosa just laughed. “No,” she said. “Not a stripper.”

He caught her smile and his lips curved involuntarily.

“Do you live around here?” She swung her head to glance down the street like she might find his apartment that way, her blonde hair falling against one shoulder in a shimmering wave.

“Close enough.” He stopped himself before he gave away anything more. Enough with the personal stuff. Bed and breakfast does not include your life history.

This was one he didn’t want to let get away though.

He wanted her and he was pretty sure the feeling was mutual. She was still staring at him, standing close enough for him to smell her perfume, giving off all the signals that she was open to whatever he had to offer.

Aedan smiled again, giving her the version he’d used countless times to bed countless girls, and tossed out an invitation. “But there’s a bar down at the end of the block. That is, if you’re interested.”

Before she had a chance to say anything, the girl named Sophia spoke up. “I think it’s the least we could do, buy you a drink, I mean. You did save our lives, after all. Right?” She smiled, sidling up next to him, winding her arm through his.

He looked at her briefly, smelling the alcohol on her breath. They were all on the slightly drunk side, he realized.

They turned to Rosa. Aedan raised an eyebrow. She was obviously the deciding factor here.

“Rosa? Please?” Sophia’s voice took on a pleading quality that grated on Aedan’s ears. He gently pulled his arm away from her clutches.

Aedan realized he was holding his breath, waiting for her answer. She’s just a girl. Relax. So you want to fuck her. Nothing more. You’ve nothing in common with her. She’s just pretty. He watched her tongue run over her soft pink lips. She couldn’t be anything more, but she could be mine tonight.

“I don’t think that’s the best idea,” Laura objected. Sophia turned to look at her. Whatever silent exchange they shared seemingly shut her up, because she shook her head, but didn’t say anything else.

Rosa looked her two friends over and sighed. “All right. Let’s buy Aedan a drink.”

He started down the road, falling into step beside Rosa as they walked down the sidewalk. The other girls trailed behind, whispering between themselves. He didn’t care about them; his whole focus was on Rosa.

At least she seemed comfortable with him. Maybe from the excitement of watching the fight, or the alcohol, but she seemed willing to talk as they walked. So he let her talk.

“We’re lucky you came by. You’re the only person we saw...well, except for those other guys.”

“There’s no such thing as luck.” He turned to her, his face momentarily lit up with a teasing smile.

She smiled back and he felt his heartbeat speed up. They came out onto a street with more lights and he could see her clearly, those green eyes and full lips. God, she’s beautiful. Gorgeous. Lips he thought he’d enjoy kissing, would enjoy watching as she ran them over his body, down his chest...lower, kissing his...

“Aedan?” Her voice interrupted his thoughts. He turned, looking down at her, frowning. “Is this the place?”

They were standing in front of a seedy bar, garish neon lights painting the sidewalk. It was the place he’d intended to take them, although now it looked worse than he’d remembered. But there was nowhere better down here.

“Yeah, it is.” He held the door for the girls, his hand lightly resting on the small of Rosa’s back. She didn’t pull away. The place was practically empty and he shepherded the girls to a small table in the far corner, away from the door.

He headed to the bar, mentally counting the money in his wallet. He wasn’t sure he had enough to cover the tab for all of them, and certainly not enough for a night of prolonged drinking. When he turned, though, Rosa had followed him from the table, and was regarding him with amusement.

“I believe the first round is on us,” she said.

“I don’t mind covering it.” It would leave him near broke for a while, but he wasn’t going to just take handouts.

Rosa shook her head. “You rescued us. We offered to buy you a drink. It’s only fair.” Her pretty green eyes narrowed. “And I’m not taking no for an answer.”

She turned to the bartender, then, ordering something with some fancy name Aedan had never heard of. When the bartender shook his head, she frowned.

“I’ll have what he’s having, then.”

“You sure about that?” Aedan asked, reasonably sure she’d never had straight brandy in her life.

“Absolutely,” Rosa shot back.

She was going to be one hell of a handful, Aedan decided as he gave in with a laugh, giving the bartender—who was obviously hiding a laugh of his own—their orders. If he was honest, it just made him want her more. All that fire under his hands, in his bed...

Sophia patted the chair next to her when they came back with the drinks, but Aedan pulled out the chair next to Rosa. Before he had a chance to say anything, Sophia lifted her glass.

“I think we should toast our hero, Aedan.” Sophia sloshed vodka and cranberry into her lap, still managing to take a healthy swallow. Laura was a little more cautious with her drink. She was maybe a little less drunk than the rest, or just not into having fun. She looked uptight, and kept giving him unfriendly glares. If I can get them both drunk enough, maybe I can get the two of them in a cab and out of here.

Rosa took a sip of her drink. He saw her eyes water. She grimaced, glancing at Aedan, who was swallowing a laugh at the reaction he’d predicted. “You seem to know how to handle yourself. I mean, you took care of those guys pretty easily.”

“I fight.” He saw her eyes widen. Laura leaned forward, some exclamation forming on her lips. and Aedan cut in smoothly, lowering his voice, focusing his gaze back to Rosa, closing Laura out of the conversation. “I mean I train as an amateur fighter.”

Rosa took another tentative sip of her drink, pushing it away this time. “What did you do to make that guy throw up?”

Aedan smiled. “If you hit someone along the side of the neck, it’ll make it hard for them to breathe, or make them gag. Easy way to slow someone down.”

Laura made a face. “It was disgusting.”

“But it worked.” Rosa cast a sidelong glance at her friend. “And that’s the important thing, right?” She turned back to Aedan, watching him for a moment.

He liked how it made him feel when she looked at him. Like he was the only person in the room, the center of her attention. Then he shook his head. You’re getting ahead of the game here. Get her home first. She can look at you all you want then.

“Fancy moves are for audiences. In a fight like that, you want it over fast.”

“Do you fight often?” Her question caught him off guard.

“You mean in the street? Not so much anymore.”

She shook her head. “No, at a gym. Do you fight there?”

Aedan shifted in his chair. As much as he might have wanted to talk about fighting, he really wanted to get this girl home. He could feel his body responding to the nearness of her, of this beautiful girl who seemed to be totally unaware of the effect she had on him. The scent of her perfume, the scent of her was already driving him crazy. Was she that naïve? Or was this her game?

“It’s not all that much,” he said, dismissively. He took a swallow of his own drink, feeling it burn down his throat. “Something I got into a while back, when I was...a teenager. Working toward some bigger matches now, things like that. Would love to go pro at some point.”

He leaned closer to Rosa. “Enough about me, though. How did you get to be such a pretty girl?” He let his eyes linger on her face, caressing her with his gaze.

She huffed a laugh, but a blush mantled her cheeks all the same. “I hope you don’t actually use that line on girls. And anyway, I’m not that pretty...” She looked down, her hair swinging against her face again.

Aedan reached over, tucking the silky strands behind her ear. “Well here’s a new question, then.” His voice was low, and he leaned forward until his lips were almost against her ear.

She looked up at him, meeting his gaze. “What’s that?”

“Are you always so contrary?” He held her eyes for just a second...and then smiled.

Rosa laughed. “Oh, right.” She pulled a face at him. “So, I should remember to never disagree with you, huh?”

Aedan took her hand, tracing a slow spiral on her palm. He heard her exhale, thought he heard what might have been a tiny whimper at the end.

“Never.” He leaned toward her, holding her gaze, almost—but not quite—close enough to kiss her. He felt her lean toward him, felt the desire coming from her in waves. Sometimes it doesn’t take much...

“We should find a cab for your friends...” It wasn’t a suggestion; it was a statement. Rosa blinked before turning to Sophia and Laura.

Aedan looked at the two girls. They’d finished their drinks, despite the lack of fruity cocktails in the place. He had to give them credit for that; party girls to the very end. But they both were a little dazed looking, staring blankly around the bar, not paying attention to Aedan or Rosa.

“Hey, guys. Aedan’s going to get us a cab, okay?” Both girls nodded at Rosa, gathering their purses, heading for the ladies’ room. Rosa got up from her chair, intending to follow. Aedan reached out and circled his fingers around her wrist. She looked down at him, frowning slightly.

“Not you...just them.” He pulled her gently back to her chair. “I want you in a cab with me.”

Her eyes went wide but there was no protest, no hesitation. She sat down. “Oh.” Her voice was breathy, barely a whisper.

He did kiss her this time, lightly, brushing his lips against hers, his tongue sliding briefly against her lower lip. He could taste the alcohol from her drink, but he could also taste the sweetness of her lips. There was a pleasant tightening against the front of his jeans as he grew hard, a sense of familiar heat as arousal flashed through his body.

He pulled back and watched as she leaned toward him again, slowly opening her eyes. She looked up at him, her desires written across her face, in her eyes.

“Okay...yeah.” She smiled, her face suddenly flushed with color.

Aedan fished out his cell phone, making the call for the cabs.